For his return after three and a half months of absence due to injuries, Carlos Alcaraz (world number 2) won the ATP clay tournament in Buenos Aires on Sunday by beating masterfully, in a final that sometimes turned into a demonstration , Cameron Norrie (12th) 6-3, 7-5 in 1 hour 33 min.
Facing the British left-hander, who was playing his second final this year after the one lost in Auckland last month, the 19-year-old Spanish prodigy won the seventh title of his career, in his ninth final.
Balanced debates
The debates were very balanced in the first set until 3-3, between two players starting the game with a bang. Norrie even overtook Alcaraz several times at the start of the set. But he then managed the first break, on a deep forehand attack. Break that he confirms immediately, on a cushioning, before delighting the Briton’s service again and pocketing the first set in 36 minutes.
In this round, Alcaraz was very efficient on serve, passing 68% of first serves and not conceding any break points. Continuing his hold, he took Norrie’s first service game to break away 2-0 at the start of the second set, then 5-2.
Powerful forehands, scathing returns, explosive backhands, amortizations, and even sometimes volleys, speed of execution… everything succeeded in Alcaraz.
“Very focused”
The injuries (abdominal tear, then muscle injury to the right calf) having pushed her to forfeit before her quarter at Paris-Bercy at the start and then before the Australian Open in January do not seem to have altered her physique and her exceptional game. which made him last year the youngest world number 1 in the history of the ATP.
The Murcian serves for the match. His game then crumbles, his service weakens, unforced errors are more efficient… Norrie takes the opportunity to get his first two break points of the game at 5-3. Alcaraz saves the first but commits a double fault on the second. Norrie, again threatening, comes back to 5-4 then recovers to 5-5 on his serve.
But the world number 2 finds the necessary resources to revive its beautiful mechanics and win in two sets. “I was very focused, confident in my game, I’ve been working for months, it’s never easy to resume so it’s a special moment,” he said after his Argentinian triumph, in a central Guillermo Villas packed full.
Fr
Don’t miss interesting posts on Famousbio
